Scan Sequence Optimization for Reduced Residual Stress and Distortion in LPBF Additive Manufacturing – An AISI 316L Case Study

Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) additive manufacturing often results in defective parts due to non-uniform temperature distribution during fabrication. To mitigate this issue, the authors recently introduced SmartScan, an intelligent method that employs modeling and optimization to generate scan sequences that improve temperature uniformity. However, the previous version of SmartScan could only be applied to single layers. This paper presents an extension of SmartScan to three-dimensional parts by adjusting the thermal model and optimization objective. Through simulations and experiments involving fabricating AISI 316L stainless steel parts, the study demonstrates that the proposed SmartScan approach significantly improves temperature uniformity, reduces part distortion, and mitigates residual stress, as compared to conventional heuristic sequences.

Citation: C. He, C. E. Okwudire, “Scan Sequence Optimization for Reduced Residual Stress and Distortion in PBF Additive Manufacturing – An AISI 316L Case Study,” In Proceedings of the Ground Vehicle Systems Engineering and Technology Symposium (GVSETS), NDIA, Novi, MI, Aug. 15-17, 2023.